Metal, glass and ceramic parts are often bonded together using powders such as glass or metal that require high temperatures to activate the powder and form a bond between the parts. As a part of the bonding process, the parts must be properly positioned and stabilized before and while they are being heated. Such a process requires careful placement of the parts and application of the bonding powder so the bond is formed in the correct location. Often, a slight movement of the parts will cause the bond to be incorrectly positioned. This problem is usually overcome by forming a temporary seal between the parts before activating the powder.
Prior to the present invention, a temporary seal was formed between two parts by dispersing the powder in a solvent or an acrylic binder. The dispersion was then applied to the mating faces of the parts to be joined to form a temporary seal. The parts were then carefully placed within a furnace in such a way as to not break the temporary seal between the two parts. As the parts were heated, the solvent or acrylic binder would flash off and the powder would be activated to form the seal. Such a system is not environmentally friendly and usually requires special equipment and handling.
Moreover, problems resulted when the parts would be accidentally bumped or mispositioned in the furnace or when two parts having different shapes needed to be bonded together. In particular, problems arose in applications where a planar shaped part needed to be bonded to a cylindrical shaped part. This required special positioning of the parts so them would not become misaligned.
An object of the present invention is to provide a solid fritted bonding material for use as a both a temporary seal and a permanent seal between two articles.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a bonding material which does not contain hazardous materials or require special handling.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a process for securing at least two articles together using a solid fritted bonding material.